Effects of weak mobile phone - electromagnetic fields (GSM, UMTS) on well-being and resting EEG

Modern mobile phones emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs) ranging from 900 to 2000 MHz which are suggested to have an influence on well-being, attention and neurological parameters in mobile phone users. To date most studies have investigated Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)-EMF and only very few studies were concerned with Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)-EMF. Consequently, we tested the effects of both types of EMF, 1950 MHz UMTS (SAR 0.1 and 1 W/kg) and pulsed 900 MHz GSM (1 W/kg), on well-being and vigilance-controlled resting electroencephalogram (eyes closed) in 15 healthy, right-handed subjects. A double-blind, randomised, crossover application of the test procedure was used. Neither the UMTS- nor the GSM-EMF produced any significant changes in the measured parameters compared to sham exposure. The results do not give any evidence for a deleterious effect of the EMF on normal healthy mobile phone users.     

Effects of weak mobile phone - electromagnetic fields (GSM, UMTS) on event related potentials and cognitive functions

Modern mobile phones emit electromagnetic fields (EMF) ranging from 900 to 2000 MHz which are suggested to have an influence on well-being, attention and neurological parameters in mobile phone users. Until now most studies have investigated Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)-EMF and only very few studies have focused on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)-EMF. Therefore, we tested the effects of both types of unilaterally presented EMF, 1950 UMTS (0.1 and 1 W/kg) and pulsed 900 MHz GSM (1 W/kg), on visually evoked occipital P100, the P300 of a continuous performance test, auditory evoked central N100 and the P300 during an oddball task as well as on the respective behavioral parameters, reaction time and false reactions, in 15 healthy, right handed subjects. A double-blind, randomized, crossover application of the test procedure was used. Neither the UMTS- nor the GSM-EMF produced any significant changes in the measured parameters compared to sham exposure. The results do not give any evidence for a deleterious effect of the EMF on normal healthy mobile phone users.     

No effects of short‐term exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields on human cognitive performance: A meta‐analysis

During recent years, a large number of studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by cellular mobile phones on human cognitive performance have been carried out. However, the results have been ambiguous. We carried out the current meta‐analysis in order to investigate the impact of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on human cognition. Seventeen studies were included in the meta‐analysis as they fulfill several requirements such as single‐ or double‐blind experimental study design, and documentation of means and standard deviations of dependent variables. The meta‐analysis was carried out as a group comparison between exposed and non‐exposed subjects. No significant effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile phones were found. Cognitive abilities seem to be neither impaired nor facilitated. Results of the meta‐analysis suggest that a substantial short‐term impact of high frequency electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on cognitive performance can essentially be ruled out. Bioelectromagnetics 33:159–165, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Short‐term exposure to mobile phone base station signals does not affect cognitive functioning or physiological measures in individuals who report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields and controls

Individuals who report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields often report cognitive impairments that they believe are due to exposure to mobile phone technology. Previous research in this area has revealed mixed results, however, with the majority of research only testing control individuals. Two studies using control and self‐reported sensitive participants found inconsistent effects of mobile phone base stations on cognitive functioning. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether short‐term (50 min) exposure at 10 mW/m² to typical Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) base station signals affects attention, memory, and physiological endpoints in sensitive and control participants. Data from 44 sensitive and 44 matched‐control participants who performed the digit symbol substitution task (DSST), digit span task (DS), and a mental arithmetic task (MA), while being exposed to GSM, UMTS, and sham signals under double‐blind conditions were analyzed. Overall, cognitive functioning was not affected by short‐term exposure to either GSM or UMTS signals in the current study. Nor did exposure affect the physiological measurements of blood volume pulse (BVP), heart rate (HR), and skin conductance (SC) that were taken while participants performed the cognitive tasks. Bioelectromagnetics 30:556–563, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Study of p53 expression and post‐transcriptional modifications after GSM‐900 radiofrequency exposure of human amniotic cells

The potential effects of radiofrequency (RF) exposure on the genetic material of cells are very important to determine since genome instability of somatic cells may be linked to cancer development. In response to genetic damage, the p53 protein is activated and can induce cell cycle arrest allowing more time for DNA repair or elimination of damaged cells through apoptosis. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the exposure to RF electromagnetic fields, similar to those emitted by mobile phones of the second generation standard, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), may induce expression of the p53 protein and its activation by post‐translational modifications in cultured human cells. The potential induction of p53 expression and activation by GSM‐900 was investigated after in vitro exposure of human amniotic cells for 24 h to average specific absorption rates (SARs) of 0.25, 1, 2, and 4 W/kg in the temperature range of 36.3–39.7 °C. The exposures were carried out using a wire‐patch cell (WPC) under strictly controlled conditions of temperature. Expression and activation of p53 by phosphorylation at serine 15 and 37 were studied using Western blot assay immediately after three independent exposures of cell cultures provided from three different donors. Bleomycin‐exposed cells were used as a positive control. According to our results, no significant changes in the expression and activation of the p53 protein by phosphorylation at serine 15 and 37 were found following exposure to GSM‐900 for 24 h at average SARs up to 4 W/kg in human embryonic cells. Bioelectromagnetics 34:52–60, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Estimation of whole‐body SAR from electromagnetic fields using personal exposure meters

In this article, personal electromagnetic field measurements are converted into whole‐body specific absorption rates for exposure of the general public. Whole‐body SAR values calculated from personal exposure meter data are compared for different human spheroid phantoms: the highest SAR values (at 950 MHz) are obtained for the 1‐year‐old child (99th percentile of 17.9 µW/kg for electric field strength of 0.36 V/m), followed by the 5‐year‐old child, 10‐year‐old child, average woman, and average man. For the 1‐year‐old child, whole‐body SAR values due to 9 different radiofrequency sources (FM, DAB, TETRA, TV, GSM900 DL, GSM1800 DL, DECT, UMTS DL, WiFi) are determined for 15 different scenarios. An SAR matrix for 15 different exposure scenarios and 9 sources is provided with the personal field exposure matrix. Highest 95th percentiles of the whole‐body SAR are equal to 7.9 µW/kg (0.36 V/m, GSM900 DL), 5.8 µW/kg (0.26 V/m, DAB/TV), and 7.1 µW/kg (0.41 V/m, DECT) for the 1‐year‐old child, with a maximal total whole‐body SAR of 11.5 µW/kg (0.48 V/m) due to all 9 sources. All values are below the basic restriction of 0.08 W/kg for the general public. 95th percentiles of whole‐body SAR per V/m are equal to 60.1, 87.9, and 42.7 µW/kg for GSM900, DAB/TV, and DECT sources, respectively. Functions of the SAR versus measured electric fields are provided for the different phantoms and frequencies, enabling epidemiological and dosimetric studies to make an analysis in combination with both electric field and actual whole‐body SAR. Bioelectromagnetics 31:286–295, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Life Cycle Assessment of the Mobile Communication System UMTS: Towards Eco-efficient Systems (12 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background Goal of this study is an evaluation of the environmental sustainability of the UMTS mobile communication system in Switzerland by means of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). A baseline environmental impact profile across the full life cycle of the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) and its predecessor, the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) is presented. The baseline assessment was a necessary first step to evaluate the environmental impacts of the mobile communication systems use and growth, thus permitting the evaluation of its environmental sustainability. Main Features Two functional units are defined: a data set of 1 Gbit (1.000.000 kbit), and the yearly mobile communication of an average customer. In the UMTS, both data packages and calls can be conveyed. In order to be able to standardize the results, an equivalence between these two kinds of transmission is formed. Two different options are defined, which represent different ways of transferring the data: mobile phone to mobile phone, and mobile phone to fixed network. All components of the UMTS network like the mobile phones, base stations, antennae, switching systems and the components of the landline like cable system and switching centers, are assessed. The environmental impacts are assessed taking into account all major life cycle phases like raw material extraction, manufacturing, use, disassembly and disposal of the product and the needed infrastructure. Electronic components like printed wiring boards and integrated circuits are assessed using a simple model based on the size (for IC) or number of layers (for PWB), respectively. Mining of precious metals (gold, silver) is included. The study was carried out by ESU-services, Motorola, Swisscom and Deutsche Telekom. Thanks to the industrial partners it can rely on primary data for the production of mobile phone and base station, and for the operation of the networks. As the UMTS network is still being built, no actual data of network operation is available. Data from the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) were used in case of data gaps. Results and Conclusions About 25 kg CO2 are emitted and 800 MJ-eq (non-renewable) primary energy are required for the transfer of 1 Gbit information from mobile phone to mobile phone in the UMTS network. For a transfer from mobile to fixed network, these values are 20 kg CO2 and 640 MJ-eq, respectively. On the other hand, the fixed network requires more resources like copper (0.07 kg for the mobile to mobile option vs. 0.12 kg for mobile to fixed network). From an environmental point of view, the mobile telephone is the most important element of the mobile communication network (UMTS and GSM). The short service life of the mobile phone plays a substantial role. Increasing the utilization period of the mobile phone (e.g. by leasing, re-use, extension of the innovation cycles, etc.) could thus represent a large potential for its improvement. The second most important components are the base stations. In the assessment mainly the use phase proved to be important. The lower environmental impact (per Gbit data transfer) as compared to the mobile phone can be explained by the longer service life (around factor 8). Main impacts are caused by the electricity consumption, in particular the energy needed for cooling the base stations. By choosing an environmentally benign electricity mix and/or by increasing the portion of renewable sources of energy, the network operators have a substantial potential of lower the environmental impacts (in particular the greenhouse gas emissions) of mobile telecommunication. Furthermore, the manufacturing of electronic components, the life time of the appliances and energy consumption are key parameters influencing the environmental profile of the networks most. Given its larger data transfer rate, the UMTS is ecologically more favorable in terms of data transfer rate than its predecessor, the GSM system. The higher energy consumption and the more complex production of the devices in the UMTS system are compensated by the faster data transmission rate. Per customer, the result is inverse, however, since the higher efficiency is compensated by the higher data communication per user in the UMTS system. The UMTS network in its state of 2004 according to the 2001 planning and with the accordingly calculated number of customers and data transfer causes 2.1 times more CO2 emissions and requires 2.4 times more (non-renewable) primary energy per customer than for the GSM system in its current state. It must be noted, however, that the UMTS technology supports other services than the GSM system. The development of the UMTS is accompanied with an increased consumption of resources and emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases regarding the entire system for mobile telephone communication. The GSM system is a mature technology, while the UMTS is still at the beginning of its learning curve. Thus, it can be safely assumed that large improvement potentials are still present for the UMTS network components concerning expenditures and emissions both at production and by the use of the devices. This study provides the necessary information where such improvements are most effective in environmental terms.     

Cognitive impairment in rats after long-term exposure to GSM-900 mobile phone radiation

Considering the frequent use of mobile phones, we have directed attention to possible implications on cognitive functions. In this study we investigated in a rat model the long-term effects of protracted exposure to Global System for Mobile Communication-900 MHz (GSM-900) radiation. Out of a total of 56 rats, 32 were exposed for 2 h each week for 55 weeks to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation at different SAR levels (0.6 and 60 mW/kg at the initiation of the experimental period) emitted by a (GSM-900) test phone. Sixteen animals were sham exposed and eight animals were cage controls, which never left the animal house. After this protracted exposure, GSM-900 exposed rats were compared to sham exposed controls. Effects on exploratory behaviour were evaluated in the open-field test, in which no difference was seen. Effects on cognitive functions were evaluated in the episodic-like memory test. In our study, GSM exposed rats had impaired memory for objects and their temporal order of presentation, compared to sham exposed controls (P = 0.02). Detecting the place in which an object was presented was not affected by GSM exposure. Our results suggest significantly reduced memory functions in rats after GSM microwave exposure (P = 0.02).     

Microwaves from UMTS/GSM mobile phones induce long-lasting inhibition of 53BP1/gamma-H2AX DNA repair foci in human lymphocytes

We have recently described frequency-dependent effects of mobile phone microwaves (MWs) of global system for mobile communication (GSM) on human lymphocytes from persons reporting hypersensitivity to electromagnetic fields and healthy persons. Contrary to GSM, universal global telecommunications system (UMTS) mobile phones emit wide-band MW signals. Hypothetically, UMTS MWs may result in higher biological effects compared to GSM signal because of eventual "effective" frequencies within the wideband. Here, we report for the first time that UMTS MWs affect chromatin and inhibit formation of DNA double-strand breaks co-localizing 53BP1/gamma-H2AX DNA repair foci in human lymphocytes from hypersensitive and healthy persons and confirm that effects of GSM MWs depend on carrier frequency. Remarkably, the effects of MWs on 53BP1/gamma-H2AX foci persisted up to 72 h following exposure of cells, even longer than the stress response following heat shock. The data are in line with the hypothesis that the type of signal, UMTS MWs, may have higher biological efficiency and possibly larger health risk effects compared to GSM radiation emissions. No significant differences in effects between groups of healthy and hypersensitive subjects were observed, except for the effects of UMTS MWs and GSM-915 MHz MWs on the formation of the DNA repair foci, which were different for hypersensitive (P < 0.02[53BP1]//0.01[gamma-H2AX]) but not for control subjects (P > 0.05). The non-parametric statistics used here did not indicate specificity of the differences revealed between the effects of GSM and UMTS MWs on cells from hypersensitive subjects and more data are needed to study the nature of these differences.     

Effects of gestational exposure to 1.95‐GHz W‐CDMA signals for IMT‐2000 cellular phones: Lack of embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in rats

The present study was designed to evaluate whether gestational exposure to an EMF targeting the head region, similar to that from cellular phones, might affect embryogenesis in rats. A 1.95‐GHz wide‐band code division multiple access (W‐CDMA) signal, which is one applied for the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT‐2000) system and used for the freedom of mobile multimedia access (FOMA), was employed for exposure to the heads of four groups of pregnant CD(SD) IGS rats (20 per group) for gestational days 7–17. The exposure was performed for 90 min/day in the morning. The spatial average specific absorption rate (SAR) for individual brains was designed to be 0.67 and 2.0 W/kg with peak brain SARs of 3.1 and 7.0 W/kg for low (group 3) and high (group 4) exposures, respectively, and a whole‐body average SAR less than 0.4 W/kg so as not to cause thermal effects due to temperature elevation. Control and sham exposure groups were also included. At gestational day 20, all dams were killed and fetuses were taken out by cesarean section. There were no differences in maternal body weight gain. No adverse effects of EMF exposure were observed on any reproductive and embryotoxic parameters such as number of live (243–271 fetuses), dead or resorbed embryos, placental weights, sex ratios, weights or external, visceral or skeletal abnormalities of live fetuses. Bioelectromagnetics 30:205–212, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

No effect of an UMTS mobile phone-like electromagnetic field of 1.97 GHz on human attention and reaction time

Several studies in the past reported influences of electromagnetic emissions of GSM phones on reaction time in humans. However, there are currently only a few studies available dealing with possible effects of the electromagnetic fields emitted by UMTS mobile phones. In our study, 40 healthy volunteers (20 female, 20 male), aged 26.0 years (range 21-30 years) underwent four different computer tests measuring reaction time and attention under three different UMTS mobile phone-like exposure conditions (two exposure levels plus sham exposure). Exposure of the subjects was accomplished by small helical antennas operated close to the head and fed by a generic signal representing the emissions of a UMTS mobile phone under constant receiving conditions as well as under a condition of strongly varying transmit power. In the high exposure condition the resulting peak spatial average exposure of the test subjects in the cortex of the left temporal lobe of the brain was 0.63 W/kg (min. 0.25 W/kg, max. 1.49 W/kg) in terms of 1 g averaged SAR and 0.37 W/kg (min. 0.16 W/kg, max. 0.84 W/kg) in terms of 10 g averaged SAR, respectively. Low exposure condition was one-tenth of high exposure and sham was at least 50 dB below low exposure. Statistical analysis of the obtained test parameters showed that exposure to the generic UMTS signal had no statistically significant immediate effect on attention or reaction. Therefore, this study does not provide any evidence that exposure of UMTS mobiles interferes with attention under short-term exposure conditions.     

No effects of mobile phone use on cortical auditory change‐detection in children: An ERP study

We investigated the effect of mobile phone use on the auditory sensory memory in children. Auditory event‐related potentials (ERPs), P1, N2, mismatch negativity (MMN), and P3a, were recorded from 17 children, aged 11–12 years, in the recently developed multi‐feature paradigm. This paradigm allows one to determine the neural change‐detection profile consisting of several different types of acoustic changes. During the recording, an ordinary GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) mobile phone emitting 902 MHz (pulsed at 217 Hz) electromagnetic field (EMF) was placed on the ear, over the left or right temporal area (SAR_1g = 1.14 W/kg, SAR_10g = 0.82 W/kg, peak value = 1.21 W/kg). The EMF was either on or off in a single‐blind manner. We found that a short exposure (two 6 min blocks for each side) to mobile phone EMF has no statistically significant effects on the neural change‐detection profile measured with the MMN. Furthermore, the multi‐feature paradigm was shown to be well suited for studies of perception accuracy and sensory memory in children. However, it should be noted that the present study only had sufficient statistical power to detect a large effect size. Bioelectromagnetics 31:191–199, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Cognitive function and symptoms in adults and adolescents in relation to rf radiation from UMTS base stations

There is widespread public concern about the potential adverse health effects of mobile phones in general and their associated base stations in particular. This study was designed to investigate the acute effects of radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) mobile phone base stations on human cognitive function and symptoms. Forty adolescents (15-16 years) and 40 adults (25-40 years) were exposed to four conditions: (1) sham, (2) a Continuous Wave (CW) at 2140 MHz, (3) a signal at 2140 MHz modulated as UMTS and (4) UMTS at 2140 MHz including all control features in a randomized, double blinded cross-over design. Each exposure lasted 45 min. During exposure the participants performed different cognitive tasks with the Trail Making B (TMB) test as the main outcome and completed a questionnaire measuring self reported subjective symptoms. No statistically significant differences between the UMTS and sham conditions were found for performance on TMB. For the adults, the estimated difference between UMTS and sham was -3.2% (-9.2%; 2.9%) and for the adolescents 5.5% (-1.1%; 12.2%). No significant changes were found in any of the cognitive tasks. An increase in 'headache rating' was observed when data from the adolescents and adults were combined (P = 0.027), an effect that may be due to differences at baseline. In conclusion, the primary hypothesis that UMTS radiation reduces general performance in the TMB test was not confirmed. However, we suggest that the hypothesis of subjective symptoms and EMF exposure needs further research.     

Influence of traffic variations on exposure to wireless signals in realistic environments

In this article, the general public daily exposure to broadcast signals and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile telephone signals in indoor areas is investigated. Temporal variations and traffic distributions during a day at different indoor sites in urban and rural zones are presented. The goal is to analyze the real exposure compared to the maximum assessment imposed by radio protection standards and to characterize the ratio between daily and maximum theoretical values. Hence, a realistic maximum is proposed based on the statistical analysis performed using measurements. Broadcast signals remain constant over the day so they are best fitted with a Normal distribution while the mobile telephone signals depend on the traffic demand during the day so they fit a three‐Gaussian distribution model. A general mask is also constructed for underlining the maximum equivalent active traffic for different periods in the day. Also, relations between the mean values over 24 h, the realistic maximal values (at 99%) and the maximal theoretical values are presented. The realistic maximum is also presented with a sliding time average of 6 min applied to the measurements in accordance with international standards. An extrapolation factor is given for the different systems to easily assess the maximum values starting from an instantaneous measurement. The extrapolation factor is also given for a broadband measurement to estimate the maximum potential exposure during the day. Bioelectromagnetics 33:288–297, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by GSM 900 and WCDMA mobile phones on cognitive function in young male subjects

Results of studies on the possible effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on cognitive functions are contradictory, therefore, possible effects of long‐term (7 h 15 min) electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure to handset‐like signals of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) 900 and Wideband Code‐Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) on attention and working memory were studied. The sample comprised 30 healthy male subjects (mean ± SD: 25.3 ± 2.6 years), who were tested on nine study days in which they were exposed to three exposure conditions (sham, GSM 900 and WCDMA) in a randomly assigned and balanced order. All tests were presented twice (morning and afternoon) on each study day within a fixed timeframe. Univariate comparisons revealed significant changes when subjects were exposed to GSM 900 compared to sham, only in the vigilance test. In the WCDMA exposure condition, one parameter in the vigilance and one in the test on divided attention were altered compared to sham. Performance in the selective attention test and the n‐back task was not affected by GSM 900 or WCDMA exposure. Time‐of‐day effects were evident for the tests on divided and selective attention, as well as for working memory. After correction for multiple testing, only time‐of‐day effects remained significant in two tests, resulting in faster reactions in the afternoon trials. The results of the present study do not provide any evidence of an EMF effect on human cognition, but they underline the necessity to control for time of day. Bioelectromagnetics 32:179–190, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Effect of GSM 900-MHz Mobile Phone Radiation on the Reproductive Capacity of Drosophila melanogaster

Pulsed radio frequency, (RF), electromagnetic radiation from common GSM mobile phones, (Global System for Mobile Telecommunications) with a carrier frequency at 900 MHz, “modulated” by human voice, (speaking emission) decreases the reproductive capacity of the insect Drosophila melanogaster by 50%–60%, whereas the corresponding “nonmodulated” field (nonspeaking emission) decreases the reproductive capacity by 15%–20%. The insects were exposed to the near field of the mobile phone antenna for 6 min per day during the first 2–5 days of their adult lives. The GSM field is found to affect both females and males. Our results suggest that this field-radiation decreases the rate of cellular processes during gonad development in insects.     

Between‐country comparison of whole‐body SAR from personal exposure data in Urban areas

In five countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Slovenia, Hungary, and the Netherlands), personal radio frequency electromagnetic field measurements were performed in different microenvironments such as homes, public transports, or outdoors using the same exposure meters. From the mean personal field exposure levels (excluding mobile phone exposure), whole‐body absorption values in a 1‐year‐old child and adult male model were calculated using a statistical multipath exposure method and compared for the five countries. All mean absorptions (maximal total absorption of 3.4 µW/kg for the child and 1.8 µW/kg for the adult) were well below the International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) basic restriction of 0.08 W/kg for the general public. Generally, incident field exposure levels were well correlated with whole‐body absorptions (SAR_wb), although the type of microenvironment, frequency of the signals, and dimensions of the considered phantom modify the relationship between these exposure measures. Exposure to the television and Digital Audio Broadcasting band caused relatively higher SAR_wb values (up to 65%) for the 1‐year‐old child than signals at higher frequencies due to the body size‐dependent absorption rates. Frequency Modulation (FM) caused relatively higher absorptions (up to 80%) in the adult male. Bioelectromagnetics 33:682–694, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

New fin-line devices for radiofrequency exposure of small biological samples in vitro allowing whole-cell patch clamp recordings

The development and analysis of three waveguides for the exposure of small biological in vitro samples to mobile communication signals at 900 MHz (GSM, Global System for Mobile Communications), 1.8 GHz (GSM), and 2 GHz (UMTS, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) is presented. The waveguides were based on a fin‐line concept and the chamber containing the samples bathed in extracellular solution was placed onto two fins with a slot in between, where the exposure field concentrates. Measures were taken to allow for patch clamp recordings during radiofrequency (RF) exposure. The necessary power for the achievement of the maximum desired specific absorption rate (SAR) of 20 W/kg (average over the mass of the solution) was approximately P_in = 50 mW, P_in = 19 mW, and P_in = 18 mW for the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2 GHz devices, respectively. At 20 W/kg, a slight RF‐induced temperature elevation in the solution of no more than 0.3 °C was detected, while no thermal offsets due to the electromagnetic exposure could be detected at the lower SAR settings (2, 0.2, and 0.02 W/kg). A deviation of 10% from the intended solution volume yielded a calculated SAR deviation of 8% from the desired value. A maximum ±10% variation in the local SAR could occur when the position of the patch clamp electrode was altered within the area where the cells to be investigated were located. Bioelectromagnetics 32:102–112, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Factors that influence the radiofrequency power output of GSM mobile phones

Epidemiological studies of mobile phone use and risk of brain cancer have relied on self-reported use, years as a subscriber, and billing records as exposure surrogates without addressing the level of radiofrequency (RF) power output. The objective of this study was to measure environmental, behavioral and engineering factors affecting the RF power output of GSM mobile phones during operation. We estimated the RF-field exposure of volunteer subjects who made mobile phone calls using software-modified phones (SMPs) that recorded output power settings. Subjects recruited from three geographic areas in the U.S. were instructed to log information (place, time, etc.) for each call made and received during a 5-day period. The largest factor affecting energy output was study area, followed by user movement and location (inside or outside), use of a hands-free device, and urbanicity, although the two latter factors accounted for trivial parts of overall variance. Although some highly statistically significant differences were identified, the effects on average energy output rate were usually less than 50% and were generally comparable to the standard deviation. These results provide information applicable to improving the precision of exposure metrics for epidemiological studies of GSM mobile phones and may have broader application for other mobile phone systems and geographic locations.     

Head exposure system for a human provocation study to assess the possible influence of UMTS‐like electromagnetic fields on cerebral blood circulation using near‐infrared imaging

A head exposure setup for efficient and precisely defined exposure of human subjects equipped with a near‐infrared imaging (NIRI) sensor is presented. In a partially shielded anechoic chamber the subjects were exposed to Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS)‐like electromagnetic fields (EMF) by using a patch antenna at a distance of 4 cm from the head. The non‐contact design of the exposure setup enabled NIRI sensors to easily attach to the head. Moreover, different regions of the head were chosen for localised exposure and simultaneous NIRI investigation. The control software enabled the simple adaptation of the test parameters during exploratory testing as well as the performance of controlled, randomised, crossover and double‐blind provocation studies. Four different signals with a carrier frequency of 1900 MHz were chosen for the exposure: a simple continuous wave signal and three different UMTS signals. Furthermore, three exposure doses were available: sham, low (spatial peak specific absorption rate (SAR) = 0.18 W/kg averaged over 10 g) and high (spatial peak SAR = 1.8 W/kg averaged over 10 g). The SAR assessment was performed by measurement and simulation. Direct comparison of measurement and numerical results showed good agreement in terms of spatial peak SAR and SAR distribution. The variability analysis of the spatial peak SAR over 10 g was assessed by numerical simulations. Maximal deviations of ?22% and +32% from the nominal situation were observed. Compared to other exposure setups, the present setup allows for low exposure uncertainty, combined with high SAR efficiency, easy access for the NIRI sensor and minimal impairment of test subjects. Bioelectromagnetics 33:124–133, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.